Crowd goes wild for film

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A vocal crowd clapped and cheered its way through the New Zealand premiere of Two Little Boys at the Civic Theatre tonight.

The film, which finished just before 10pm, was well-received by everyone and several scenes were met with an enthusiastic reaction from the crowd - particularly a scene involving one of the main characters riding a dolphin.

At the beginning of the screening producer Vicky Pope said it was great to be here to premiere the film in its home town.

"It is hard to imagine making the film anywhere but Invercargill,'' she said.

"I think we achieved more here than anywhere else in the country...you have got a real can do attitude.''

The film was the result of hundreds of people's work, including many from Southland, she said.

"It is one of the most film-friendly cities in the country and I really hope there are a lot more films that they make here.''

Director Robert Sarkies said during filming one of Invercargill City mayor Tim Shadbolt's scenes they could not work out how to shoot it so it did not look like a pole was coming out of his head.

Doing his best Shadbolt impression, Sarkies said: Just bend it over we'll say the hoons did it.

"Yes. This film belongs here,'' he said.

Before the film screening Hamish Blake said he was hot with excitement, but freezing cold because of the temperature.

It was terrific to be back in Invercargill for the premiere, but he was not looking forward to seeing himself on the big screen, he said.

"Not at all. I'm looking forward to seeing Bret (McKenzie) and Maaka (Pohatu), they will be great, but I am about to see myself in underpants and a mullet.''

There was a maximum height that he should be seen in his underpants with a mullet and that was six to nine centimetres, not a big screen, he said.

Blake was also getting used to the giant banner of him hung on the side of the Civic Theatre for the premiere, but had plans to make it his own.

It would be perfect to hang off the side of his apartment building back in Australia, he said.

After the film director Robert Sarkies said everyone around him had been laughing, and there had been a really warm vibe in the room.